Many different kinds of food loaves are produced in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Meat loaves consisting of ham, pork, beef, lamb, turkey, fish and other meats have been commercialized. Such meat loaves or cheese loaves or other food loaves are commonly sliced and collected in groups in accordance with a particular weight requirement, the groups being packaged and sold at retail. The number of slices in a group may vary depending on the size and consistency of the food loaf. For some products, neatly aligned stacked sliced groups are preferred, while for other products the groups are shingled so that a purchaser can see a part of every slice through transparent packaging.
Typically, round cross-section or square-section food loaves are sliced into thin slices which are stacked or shingled in groups to be packaged and sold. These slices are then used by the consumer as cold cuts for sandwiches, and the like.
The present inventor has recognized that it would be desirable to provide a machine which sliced food loaves into cross-sectional slices and also sliced the cross-sectional slices into smaller pieces. The present inventor has recognized that such smaller pieces would be desired by consumers as hors d'oeuvres, small snack slices, toppings for pizza, ingredients for soups or salads, or other uses where a small slice food piece is desired.